​Its official - feeling grateful is good for us!! You always knew that right? Well now it’s been proven. Professor of positive mental health Ernst Bohlmeijer from the University of Twente has recently published a 6-week study with 217 people, showing that training yourself to practice gratitude increases your mental resilience, flexibility and feeling of well-being. Even better, the positive effects remained evident for 6 months after the training finished.
 
So what exactly is gratitude & how do you cultivate it?

• - Deliberately focusing attention on what’s good in your life
• - Keeping a gratitude journal & recording 3 things that went well each day
• - Consciously taking pleasure in the simple things in life - (beauty, good friends, delicious food...)
• - Appreciating things other people do for you & immediately thanking them
• - Being aware of the abundance you have
• - Writing positively about your life each day

 
It's planned that the training delivered in the experiment will become available as a free app in September 2020, but why not start now and incorporate some of these simple suggestions into your life.
If you feel there is some self-sabotage or unresolved stress blocking you from feeling happy, Kinesiology may be able to help you clear the pattern. Call Sunshine Coast Kinesiologist Steve Emans on 0412252321

What is Authentic Happiness and how would you rate your daily happiness quotient out of 10?
It’s a measure of life satisfaction and that feeling of deep-seated well-being, & according to experts it does not come from just a couple of factors but from a number of interconnected things that usually appear together.

Dan Witters is the director of research at the ‘Gallup-Sharecare Well-being Index’ which has been surveying communities in America since 2008 about what brings people happiness.
These are some of the factors he says are most important:
 

10 Interconnected Happiness Triggers

1.  You enjoy using your strengths to do what you do best every day
2. You set meaningful goals and accomplish them regularly
3. You feel safe in your community
4. You have enough money to do what you want to do
5. You learn something interesting often
6. You are actively involved your community
7. You eat healthy food including 5 serves of fruit and veggies at least 5 days a week
8. You do 30 mins of aerobic exercise at least 3 days a week & are normal weight
9. You make time for uplifting shared experiences with friends or family 
10. You are active and feel productive every day

 
They don’t seem too difficult to incorporate into life do they – are there one or two things from the list you could do to increase your experience of authentic happiness?

​If you have unresolved stresses that are interfering with your current  happiness perhaps Kinesiology can help
​ – call Sunshine Coast Kinesiologist Steve Emans on 0412252321 to make an appointment

Why is the Mediterranean Diet so good?
The well known Mediterranean Diet is recognized by the World Health Organisation as a healthy sustainable way of eating. It is a plant based diet that has been shown in many studies to be associated with a longer healthier life, lower incidence of heart disease, stroke and diabetes. All things we want right - so how do we incorporate it into our life?

​

What foods are included in the Mediterranean Diet?
1. Eat more fruit & veggies - include 2 - 3 cups of fresh vegetables at each meal, and 2 pieces of fruit each day
2. Switch from white to brown rice and pasta, and wholegrain or rye bread if you tolerate these grains completely
3. Beans & Nuts are a high fiber source of protein that provide good food for the gut flora, so include them daily
4. Use olive oil instead of butter in cooking, on salads and soup, and on bread or toasted sandwiches
5. Include Fish twice a week - fresh or tinned, salmon, tuna, sardines, cod, mackerel.... just not deep fried please
6. Reduce red meat consumption to only once or twice a week
7. Small amounts of Dairy as Greek Yogurt or goats cheese, not much milk -  avoid completely if you are dairy intolerant
8. Chicken & eggs a couple of times weekly can be a healthy inclusion
9. Red wine is acceptable up to 2 standard drinks a day - remember this is only 200ml daily - less than one cup
10. Dark 70% chocolate in small amounts is also fine (dairy milk chocolate is over 50% sugar!)

Other ingredients in the Mediterranean Lifestyle
- Be physically active - walk, cycle, swim, climb stairs, dance, go to the gym, do pilates or yoga.....
- Socialise daily, eat meals with family and friends, connect with people you care about face to face, communicate

Research tells us that in countries where these things come together the people are happier, and healthier right into old age so why not learn what we can from them? To consider your personal nutritional needs call Sunshine Coast Nutritionist and Kinesiologist Karen Emans on 0408 748 532

​Calorie Restriction is well known as an effective longevity strategy across many species from yeast organisms to primates. The desire to live long and die young is a natural human wish, but not many of us have the discipline to reduce our food intake long term. A study comparing the benefits of Resveratrol supplementation with calorie restriction was published online in the journal Oncotarget, on 9 August 2019, suggesting it may provide a viable alternative in our search for healthy ageing.
 
Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in plants like red grapes & berries, and peanuts among many others. What the researchers found is that Resveratrol supplementation and calorie restriction exhibited similar anti-ageing activities. They both inhibited senescence (loss of an ageing cells ability to reproduce), had a restorative effect on cognitive impairment & memory, increased telomerase activity (an enzyme that repairs telomeres at the end of our chromosomes allowing cells to continue reproducing), and increased SIRT1 (an enzyme that silences detrimental genes). Increased levels of AMPK which stimulates energy production in our mitochondria was also noted, providing more available energy which we all want. Of course these are very desirable outcomes for those who wish to maintain a youthful body and mind into old age.
For an appointment to discuss your personal needs call Sunshine Coast Nutritionist Karen Emans on 0408 748 532

​Coenzyme Q10 is a powerful antioxidant which protects the cells membrane from damage, & is also a raw material used by the mitochondria, the cells energy factory. A meta-analysis of 9 clinical trials involving over 500 patients with chronic disease, was published in the journal “Pharmacological Research” in June 2019 showing that supplementation with Co Q10 was associated with a significant reduction in blood levels of  inflammatory cytokines TNF-a and interleukin-6 over a period of 8 – 12 weeks.
 
Inflammation can cause debilitating muscle and joint pain, swelling, tissue damage, fatigue, brain fog, anxiety, irritability, and insomnia. Since all chronic disease is accompanied by inflammation, it may be well worth while incorporating such a simple protective mechanism into our treatment regime. Those on blood thinners cant use Co Q10.
​Call Sunshine Coast Kinesiologist and Nutritionist Karen Emans on 0408 748 532. 

Food to Reboot your Microbiome
The essential part of rebooting your microbiome is large amounts of the type of plant fibre that isn’t completely digested, giving food to your microbiome. Complex Carbohydrates like vegetables, lentils and beans are high in fibre, and so don’t cause a spike in blood sugar and insulin. When we don’t eat enough plant fibre we starve the essential microbes in our gut.
 
The following are complex carbohydrates that provide good food for your microbiome:

1. Resistant starches don’t get digested in the small intestine. They travel through the gut to the large intestine where they are fermented by the gut bacteria to produce short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) like Butryate. These provide food for colonic cells, are anti-inflammatory, and encourage the growth of healthy microbes in the colon by acting as a prebiotic food for them. The diversity of plants you eat will be reflected in the diversity of the microbiome.                                                                                   

These foods are high in resistant starch – shown as grams resistant starch / 100g food:                                

• Baked potato cooled and reheated  19.2g
• Rice cooked, cooled and reheated    5.5g
• Corn cooked, cooled and reheated   4.4g
• Peas cooked, cooled and reheated   6.7g
• Split peas                                          10.0g
• Chick peas cooked, cooled               6.35g
• Cashews                                           13.0g
• Green bananas (boiled and mashed like potato), green banana flour in baked goods  35.0g
• Buckwheat flour in baked goods       16.0g      
• Red Lentils                                        13.8g
• White Cannellini Beans, Black beans, Red kidney beans 17.3g
• Bean Vermicelli noodles                      4.4g

 
 2.  Inulin also feeds your healthy microbes - the following foods are high in Inulin:

•  Onions, leeks & garlic
•  Asparagus
•  Artichokes
•  Ripe bananas

  3.  Fermented Foods contain live bacteria to repopulate your gut as well as prebiotic fibre

• Sauerkraut, Kimchi, fermented Pickles, Kvass

 
  4.  Substitute friends for foes

• Use zucchini noodles instead of wheat pasta
• Roast sweet potato (higher in fibre) instead of French fries
• Cauliflower rice instead of white rice
• Pumpkin or sweet potato or red lentils to thicken stews and sauces instead of flour
• Whipped frozen banana instead of ice cream
• Frozen berries and coconut yoghurt instead of ice cream
• Almond cupcakes instead of wheat cake
• Hummus and carrot or celery sticks as a snack
• Cooked and cooled pasta or rice instead of fresh cooked (to increase the resistant starch)
• Saurkraut instead of tomato sauce as a condiment with meat
• Almond milk instead of dairy milk
• Honey instead of sugar, & at least halve the amount in any recipe
• Whole fruit instead of fruit juice
• Soda and lime juice instead of soft drink

 When you decide to reboot your Microbiome as part of your health plan, call Sunshine Coast Nutritionist and Kinesiologist Karen Emans on 0408 748 532

​The inner lining of the blood vessels is a smooth layer of cells called the Endothelium. Inflammation can cause plaque deposits on the endothelium, & over time these calcify and can eventually rupture causing a blood clot. High blood sugar can cause microvascular damage to the epithelium that accelerates atherosclerosis. CoQ10 has the potential for minimising vascular disease by inhibiting oxidation of  LDL cholesterol, and by maintaining optimal mitochondrial function (energy production) in endothelial cells.
 
A report appearing April 11, 2018 in the journal PLOS One provides an update to a trial initiated in 2003 which considered the effects on heart disease of four years of supplementation with selenium and coenzyme Q10. Originally 443 healthy 78 year olds received 200mg CoQ10 and 200 mcg selenium daily for 4 years. Over 5 years those who received CoQ10 & selenium had less than half the rate of cardiovascular death than those who received a placebo. In the follow up 12 years later, the risk of cardiovascular death was still 41% less among those who took the supplements.
 

Serotonin is called the happy hormone. About 95% of our Serotonin is made by the “Enterochromaffin Cells (EC)” lining the gut. New research by Elaine Hsiao at the University of California, published in the April 9 issue of the journal Cell, shows that certain bacteria in the gut stimulate these intestinal cells to produce Serotonin. People with IBS have been observed to have lower levels of Lactobacillus bacteria compared with healthy people, so it may be that giving a probiotic containing Lactobacillus acidophilus could be a useful part of a treatment strategy to improve IBS symptoms. 
 
The enteric nervous system (ENS), governs the function of the gut wall. It can be found from the beginning of the oesophagus to the anus throughout the gut wall. Serotonin binds to specific receptors in the gut wall to regulate the "Migrating Motor Complex", which is the normal rhythmic contraction of the bowel wall that moves contents along from the small intestine into the large intestine. When someone gets food poisoning from the bacteria E.coli, the EC cells release a flood of serotonin causing the gut to rapidly contract & expel its contents to eliminate the harmful bacteria. Scientists tell us that people with IBS have abnormal gut levels of Serotonin. Serotonin also contributes to the immune response as Serotonin receptors have been found on immune cells including lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells.
 
There is still much to be learned in this emerging science, but you can see that things which help balance production of the happy hormone Serotonin such as regular moderate exercise, cultivating calmness & resilience, eating a healthy diet containing sufficient protein & fresh vegetables, minimizing sugar & alcohol, and getting enough sleep are all things we can work on. For individualized help in improving your IBS or SIBO, call:
Sunshine Coast Nutritionist Karen Emans on 0408 748 532
​

​
The Migrating Motor Complex or MMC is a four phase process in which the body cleans out the small intestine after eating & digesting a meal. The muscle wall of the small intestine contracts rhythmically to push undigested food & bacteria towards the colon. The MMC starts about 2 - 3 hours after eating & once it begins, takes a further 2 hours to complete. If you eat during this time, the MMC will stop to allow digestion to take place, & it will be another several hours till it has the opportunity to operate again.
 
MMC has 4 phases:
- A calm period lasting about an hour
- Half an hour of peristaltic contractions of  increasing frequency
- 15 mins of rapid, evenly-spaced peristaltic contractions
- A short rest phase until it starts again
 

To make sure the MMC is able to do its clearing job, we need to wait at least 4 hours between meals, without grazing or snacking. Dr. Pimental, who is a leading expert on IBS & author of the book A New IBS Solution, suggests that adults wait
4 - 5 hours between meals or snacks. In young children the MMC occurs more frequently. When the normal clearing function of the MMC is altered, build-up of intestinal contents can result in fermentation, wind, pain, bloating & build-up of bacteria in the small intestine known as SIBO. 

Prevent SIBO returning by Restoring your MMC:

• Eat enough to leave 4 – 5 hours between meals or snacks, including drinks other than water
• Minimise your personal reactive foods that cause inflammation in your gut
• Add small amounts of fermented foods like sauerkraut or kimchi to your diet if tolerated
• The probiotic “lactobacillus plantarum" may reduce histamine & be helpful to some people
• Avoid antacids - these reduce stomach acid & can predispose to SIBO
• Extend your night fast to 14 hours eg dinner at 5 or 6pm, and breakfast at 7 or 8am – at work?
• Stay Calm! The Vagus nerve from the brain (active in relaxed mode only) stimulates the MMC

If you are trying to eliminate SIBO or stop it recurring call Sunshine Coast Nutritionist Karen Emans on 0408 748 532

Science tells us that once our basic needs are met, more material wealth does not increase our happiness very much. If you want to increase your happiness, positive psychology tells us how to go about it: According to the Foresight Report (Aked et. al, 2008) there are 5 factors - all in our control, that we can use to increase our personal feeling of happiness and life satisfaction.

• Really connect with people  - This means being present with others, giving them your attention when you are together, and listening without judgment when they speak. This makes your time together quality time & everyone enjoys it more. It also increases the production of the neurotransmitter oxytocin - the bonding hormone.


• Be physically active daily - Endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are released when we exercise and all play a role in generating a ‘feel good’ mood for the rest of the day. It also causes the release of Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor which stimulates the release of new brain cells. 
• Practice Mindfulness - Keep your awareness in the present moment instead of letting your thoughts wander back into fretting about the imperfect past, or worry about possible fearful futures. This keeps us feeling calm and responsive to life as it unfolds in the present. 
• Learn new things - Learning something new and interesting releases the brain reward neurotransmitter dopamine, which makes us feel a sense of accomplishment & fulfilment. It can be anything – art, a new language, a skill like horse riding or table tennis… 
• Give to others - Acts of service release neurotransmitters, like oxytocin (the bonding chemical) and dopamine (the reward chemical). Again these brain chemicals increase life satisfaction. Do small things, offer to babysit your grand-kids, do the washing up when it’s not your turn, cook a meal for a sick neighbor… notice what someone needs & do it.

 
The important thing in the experience of happiness, is not the intensity of the positive feelings, but rather the frequency of the positive emotion in daily life, so do these things daily & reap the happiness rewards.
 
If you want to work on your personal happiness levels, and increase life satisfaction call Sunshine Coast Kinesiologist
Steve Emans on 0412 252 321